A WEEK OF BATTLES.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 730, 21 October 1876, Page 3

A WEEK OF BATTLES.

The London correspondent of the Argus writing on September Ist, says— For nearly a week the combat raged, the Turks coming back to the assault again and again, and the Servians fighting as for dear life and country. It was on Saturday, the 19th of August, that the Turkish army, advancing from Nish, received its first check; but the next day they made good their ground, and drove the Servian troops back into the Morava Valley. “ The Turks,” says one who was present, “followed up their advantage steadily, carefully regarding cover. They crowned a height with cannon, and lined the front of a wood with a musketry fire. The Servian line, exposed in the open, wavered and then broke, and the retreat became a sauv# yui\p6ut. The artillery lied in advance of the infantry, who were left to cover the retreat. There was a wild ano general stampede along the Morava Valley road to the bridge head opposite Alesinatz Provision waggons, cannons, tumbrils, and waggon loads of wounded men were hurrying in confusion among galloping cavalry men and running foot soldiers. The strenuous efforts of the officers succeeded in delaying the flight of the militia regiments, but. meanwhile the Turks were seen advancing from another direction, and enclosing Alexinatz on two Bides, At daybreak on the

Monday the battle began with great violence of artillery fire. The Servian front waa about four miles long, on the left bank of the Morava, the forces holding it consisting of about 26,000 infantry, and perhaps 25 batteries of cannon. The chief fighting was in the valley, and on the slopes of the left bank of the Morava. The combat of the morning was almost wholly with cannon. It commenced at about 5, and raged with more or less fierceness till nearly 9, when there was a lull. Gradually as the Turks gained ground, village aftervillage was taken and fired, and when the rolling sound of artillery recommenced it came nearer and nearer on either hand. At midday the Servians were hardly pressed. Their infantry was almost panic-stricken by the shells that were showered upon them. Presently the whole valley in front was in one wide blaze.

So the fight went on with wavering success through the next day. The night was appalling with the tumult of the cannon and the screaming shells that came crushing into the town, where the wounded and dying lay thickly side by side. “ Opposite Alexinatz, on Wednesday,” says the same correspondent, “ there was comparative quiet, but to the east and south-east a fierce combat raged from before daybreak, and in front of the entrenchments, on a ridge above Alexinatz, the Servian cannon fired without intermission. All along the undulating line a furious infantry oattle was raging. In the village of Pragovatz, to the east entrenchments, the key to the bill road, leading into the rear of Alexinatz, and along which a Turkish column marching from St Stephan was trying to penetrate into Pragovatz, was a chosen brigade of Servian infantry, supported by the cannon fire of the entrenchments, and they held the place with determination but with terrible loss. Three times that morning the Turkish infantry tried to storm the entrenched position of Alexinatz directly in front, but failed. At sundown things looked badly for the Servian defence. The main street of the little town was one mass of groaning, wounded men, waiting their turn for the surgeons. During the night General Tchernaieff, who throughout had exposed himself recklessly, made a night attack upon the Turkish position on the adjoining heights, and after a fierce combat succeeded in occupying them. With scarcely a pause he called upon his last reserves, and threw them upon the Turks, On Thursday morning the Turks appeared to be retreating everywhere. It was a victory narrowly won, but it belonged to the Ser vians. We have been so accustomed to contradictory accounts that the first rnmour of this success was scarcely believed. The withdrawal of the Turks towards Nisch, was, however, a fact which could not be gainsaid. General Tchernaieff in his despatches attributes their retreat to their being out-flanked by Colonel Horvatovich, who, advancing fsom the neighbourhood of Gurgusavatz, operated on the right. After the battle the Turks fled in great disorder, leaving hundreds of wounded on the field, and many hundreds more along the line of their retreat, from near St Stephan to beyond Katan, which is on Turkish territory, and was occupied by the Servians. The Servians captured large quantities of ammunition and arms, with some supply trains. General Tchernaieff states that his troops were too much exhausted by their five days’ fighting to pursue the enemy further. This victory revived the fainting hopes of the Servians, but it could not be said to he decisive. This week there has been more severe fighting. The Servians attacked the Turks, who had attempted to entrench themselves within the Morava valley, and have driven them out after a sanguinary struggle. But the Turks have rallied on their old ground, and, if we may judge by the news from Constantinople, appear confident of ultimate success.